APOCALYPSE SOON The 144,000 (Revelation 7:1-8)

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Scarlett Morton
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1 APOCALYPSE SOON The 144,000 (Revelation 7:1-8) The sixth seal has been opened and the world is enduring the wrath of the Lamb. We are now in the heat of the Great Tribulation judgments. Many believers die in the opening of the first 5 seals in the wars, famine, natural disasters, and persecution of the Antichrist and his followers, And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held. (Rev. 6:9) These martyred saints are in celestial bliss in glory awaiting the arrival of many more martyrs during the latter part of the GTP. They were told, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. (Rev. 6:11b) The 7 th seal is opened in Revelation 8:1. So Revelation 7 is a chapter that seems to give further detail as to the events surrounding the 6 th seal. It reveals what happens to 2 distinct groups of believers during the GTP: (1) Those 144,000 Jewish Evangelists who physically survive the GTP (v1-8) (2) Those who are martyred for their faith during the GTP (v9-17) Faithfulness to God s word does not give immunity to suffering, as all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution (2 Timothy 3:12). Not too many believers want to claim this promise! Yet, the lives of the saints of God throughout all ages bear ample testimony to its reality. It is still part of God s plan and purpose for His people. The promises of God s faithfulness to His children do not mean that everything works together according to our aspirations but for the ultimate good. There are times when He will keep us from the fires of martyrdom but there will be times when He keeps us when we are in the fire. There are times even when He will take us home to glory through the fire. It was His will that three valiant young servants called Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego in Daniel 3 were not merely delivered from the fire, but that they were delivered through the fire. We are not to second-guess His will but to submit to His purposes. This is part of living by faith. A sovereign God does what He wants to do, not what we expect or desire Him to do. For instance, Herod in Acts 12 beheaded James, whereas Peter was delivered the night before he was due for the same fate. Many years later, tradition indicated Peter was martyred by crucifixion. The same sovereign God planned and permitted it all. We are not required to understand but to submit to it. And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. (v1) This expression, And after these things... seems to suggest that these events are sequential to the opening of the 6 th seal. Now 4 angels come into view. These angels are standing at the four points of the earth reflected in the 4 compass points of north, south, east, and west. They have a strange task, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. The verb translated holding is krateo reflects a powerful restraint, which implies that the winds are struggling to be released and a powerful force is holding them back. At this point in the GTP there is an eerie silence from regular wind movements on the earth no wind, no wave motions, no movement of the clouds. We can imagine the fear of this silence on those 1

2 whose world is turning upside down! These winds are restrained only temporarily as the next phase of God s GTP judgments will soon be unleashed. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. (v2-3) A 5th angel now reveals the reason for this restraint on the winds by these 4 powerful angels. This new angel has the seal of the living God. This seal is often a signet ring of a monarch and was utilized in the Eastern world to authenticate documents with the authority of a monarch. It belongs to the living God. The God of the Bible is not some dead idol but the God who declared, I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. (Rev. 1:6) This angel is tasked with sealing those redeemed saints called the servants of our God. In the OT those having the blood of the Passover lamb sprinkled on their doorposts were sealed, as to be spared from the judgment of the death angel. We see similar parallels with the scarlet thread of Rahab s household and the sealing of the righteous in Ezekiel s vision of Ezekiel 9:3-6. The sealing is not likely a literal name printed on the foreheads but more probably the sealing of the word of God by the Holy Spirit in their minds to guide them to walk in the way of truth (cf. Ephesians 4:30). And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nephthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand. (v4-8) There is great debate over who these 144,000 sealed saints are. However, there is no exegetical necessity not to interpret them as 12,000 individuals from 12 named tribes of Israel. They must represent the firstfruits of the nation of Israel that shall be saved en masse somewhere in the GTP. This mighty revival of the Jews is prophesied in both OT and NT, 2

And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for

3 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for Him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn (Zech. 12:10; cf. 13:8-9). And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father's sakes. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. (Rom. 11:26-29) The 144,000 of the firstfruits of Israel will be mighty evangelistic witnesses to the gospel of Jesus Christ to both Jews and Gentiles in the latter parts of the GTP. This should not surprise us as the greatest evangelists of the NT Church have been Jewish evangelists like Paul, Timothy and the other Apostles. As soon as Saul of Tarsus was converted, we read in Acts 9 that he was a mighty anointed preacher of Jesus Christ. The OT reveals that the Jews were to be God s witnesses to the rest of the world (Isa. 43:1-12). Previous generations of Jews failed to fully live up to that calling. The last generation of Jews will complete it. These sealed 144,000 will be remarkably preserved and empowered in the GTP to become the firstfruits of Israel when it is fully restored during the coming Millennial kingdom of Revelation 20. There are some interesting comparisons with the tribes that make up the 144,000 and those that are used in the tribal lists in the OT. John MacArthur explains some of the differences, Although Reuben was the firstborn (Gen. 46:8), Judah is listed first. Reuben forfeited his birthright as punishment for his sexual misconduct with his father s concubine (1 Chron. 5:1). The omission of the tribe of Dan in favor of the priestly tribe of Levi is also 3

unusual. Dan was evidently omitted due to the tribe s penchant for idolatry (cf. Deut. 29:18 21) which was even worse than that of the rest of the nation (cf. Judg. 18; Amos 8:14).

4 unusual. Dan was evidently omitted due to the tribe s penchant for idolatry (cf. Deut. 29:18 21) which was even worse than that of the rest of the nation (cf. Judg. 18; Amos 8:14). While Dan will share in the millennial blessings (Ezek. 48:1 2, 32) the tribe will not be selected for this duty nor protected during the Tribulation. Similarly, the name of Ephraim is omitted in favor of his father Joseph because Ephraim defected from the ruling house of Judah (Isa. 7:17). Also Ephraim, like Dan, was consumed with idolatry (Hos. 4:17). His brother Manasseh is included because he was the faithful son of Joseph. WHY MUST THE JEWS BE SAVED IN THE END TIMES? There is a wider question relating to the importance of this salvation of the Jews in the End Times. In Romans 11:1 the Apostle Paul speaks of the future of the Jewish people. He poses a rhetorical question, I say then, Hath God cast away His people? Paul then immediately categorically responds, God forbid, as such a thought is unthinkable. Indeed, the very form of the question in Greek indicates a negative answer is expected. Throughout the OT Scripture, God promised to preserve His unconditional covenant with His people Israel. For instance the Psalmist records in Psalm 89, I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations. For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens. I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant, Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah. (v1-4) However, the individual can place himself under the severe judgment of God by not participating in the covenantal blessings by unbelief, If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. (v30-32) 4

5 The rejection of the rebellious individual does not nullify the national covenantal promises, Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David. His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me. It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah. (v33-37) These promises have not been broken nor will they ever be broken. They are not just God s ancient people, but they are His people today. All of the promises given by God to Abraham, Moses, and David must be fulfilled to the Jewish people. Nothing can thwart God s plans, purposes, and promises. The Jews will be preserved to go through the GTP and a significant remnant will be preserved to come through it. The Bible reveals this tribulation period is a time of Jacob s trouble, but also promises, he shall be saved out of it (Jeremiah 30:7). That is why we must believe in a literal Millennial reign when these promises as to the salvation of Israel in the Promised Land will be fulfilled. Israel s future restoration as a nation is guaranteed. Despite the fact that the Lord states, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people, (Rom. 10:21) God has not rejected His people. He is never fickle or inconsistent. His immutable character guarantees His faithfulness to His promises. We are fickle, but He is never! If God s promises fail to Israel, God is not God! The answer that God could be inconsistent is always God forbid, as He cannot lie nor can He fail. The importance of God keeping His covenantal promises to the Jews cannot be overstated. God s reputation as God is tied up with His faithfulness to His promises (Numbers 23:19). It is also vital to us as Gentile believers. For if God cannot be trusted to keep His promises perfectly to Israel then we cannot be sure of His promises to us. We would doubt that He really has forgiven all of our sins, that we have everlasting life, that He is preparing a place in heaven for us, that we will rise from the dead, and that He will never leave us nor forsake us. CONSEQUENCES OF REJECTING THE MESSIAH The rejection of Jesus Christ continued on in the lives of the majority of the Jewish people. As the Bible recounts, He came unto his own, and His own received Him not. (John 1:11) There were a number of consequences for the Jews for their rejection of Messiah: (1) SCATTERED AND FEW IN NUMBER - At the beginning of 2013, the world s Jewish population was estimated at 13,854, Before the full force of the Holocaust, this number was 16,728,000 in 1939 and by 1945 there were only around 11,000,000. Throughout the centuries the growth of Jews in the world has been very slow in population terms. For many decades since the Holocaust there has been zero population growth. To put these figures in context we need to remind ourselves that at the end of first century, the Jews reportedly made up one in ten of the Roman Empire. The majority of those lived outside the land of Israel. Around an estimated 1 World Jewish Population, 2013 Report accessed online at 5

6 2.5 million Jews lived in the land of Israel, and 5 million Jews lived in the Diaspora communities before the destruction of the temple in 70 AD. So throughout the last two thousand years the growth of the worldwide Jewish population has been slight. This is a fulfillment of Scripture, And ye shall be left few in number, whereas ye were as the stars of heaven for multitude; because thou wouldest not obey the voice of the LORD thy God. And it shall come to pass, that as the LORD rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the LORD will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it. And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone. (Deut. 28:62-64; cf. Lev. 26:33 Of course God promised to preserve them in their wanderings, For I am with thee, saith the LORD, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet I will not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished. (Jer. 30:11) (2) PERPETUAL FEAR OF PERSECUTION AND ROOTLESSNESS - As the Jewish people spread throughout the four corners of the globe, they have undergone continual upheaval. Like Cain, they have become wanderers on the earth for most of the last 2,000 years. Never once have they found a place of permanent rest. This lines up with Scripture also, And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but the LORD shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind: And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life. (Deut. 28:65-66) This promise has been amply fulfilled down the centuries with, anti-semitic discrimination, pograms, and the Holocaust. (3) SPIRITUAL BLINDESS - Paul argued that a spiritual punishment has come upon those Jews that refuse to believe in Jesus Christ, Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded (Rom. 11:7). In Romans 11:8-10, the apostle cites from 2 OT passages to demonstrate what happens to them. In v8 he quotes from Isaiah 29:10 and in v9-10 he uses Psalm 69:22-23, (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them: Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway. (Rom. 11:8-10). This blinding in Romans 11:7b is a judicial blindness sent from God for Israel s refusal to heed the Word of God. This verb blinded is in the passive voice, where some other agent acts upon 6

7 the subject of the sentence. Then in Romans 11:8 Paul makes it clear from the quotation from Isaiah 29:10 that it is God who does this blinding, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear. Now, this blinding is like the hardening of the heart of Pharaoh in Romans 9: This blindness comes upon those who willfully refuse to see the truth of God s Word first. Paul wrote of such to the Corinthians, And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. (2 Cor. 3:13-15; cf. Rom. 11:7-10; Deut. 29:4-6; Jer. 5:21;Eze. 12:2) So Paul explicitly states that the Jews have blindness over their minds towards the gospel. They read the OT Scriptures but do not recognise the application of the Messianic prophecies to Jesus Christ. However Paul held out the note of hope that this confusion and blindness will one day be lifted, Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away (2 Cor. 3:16; cf. Zech. 12:10). The hard hearts will be broken up by the power of the glorious gospel. A national repentance and revival will touch the Jewish people. The dry bones will live again. That is the reason why even today the Jews and the land of Israel is the focus of world attention again. God is not yet finished with His purposes for them. Paul revealed in Romans that the blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. (Rom. 11:25b; cf. Matt. 13:13-16) The verb is happened is in the perfect tense here, which indicates that the hardening has occurred at a point in time in the past and is still in effect at the time of the writing of the Book of Romans. Today this judicial blindness is still in effect in the majority of the Jewish people, although there is a remnant of Jewish Christians. However, the hardening is in part in that eventually, it will be lifted. The Jewish people will outlast all their enemies to play a central part in the final consummation of the ages. The preservation of the Jewish people as a distinct race on the earth is one of the greatest miracles of all time. Even sceptics like Mark Twain marveled, The Egyptian, Babylonian, and the Persian rose, filled the planet with sound and splendor, then faded to dream-stuff and passed away. The Greek and Roman followed, made a vast noise and they are gone. Other peoples have sprung up, and held their torch high for a time, but it burned out and they sit in twilight now or have vanished. The Jew saw them all, beat them all, and is now what he always was, exhibiting no decadence, no infirmities of age, no weakening of his parts, no slowing of his energies, no dulling of his alert and aggressive mind. All things are mortal, but the Jew. All other forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret of his immortality? The sceptic cannot understand this miracle as it is something that can only be fully discerned by the spiritual man. There is no natural explanation for the survival of Jewish People through the ages. The Jew is indestructible. Standing behind the preservation of the Jewish race is the Person and Promises of God, For I am with thee, saith the LORD, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet I will not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure, and 7

8 will not leave thee altogether unpunished. (Jer. 30:11; 31:35-37; cf. Rom. 11:28-29) The story of the remarkable preservation of this race of people is all about HIM! The Jews will be preserved for a future glorious revival when the dry bones will live again as described in Ezekiel 37:1-14. Those who have been dead in trespasses and in sin will spiritually rise as they embrace their Messiah (Zech. 12:10). This will be likely at least a third of the Jews, Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones. And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God. (Zech. 13:7-9) It should be carefully noted that the Jewish people have to be in their land and the city of Jerusalem and come through great tribulation judgment before these prophecies are fulfilled. This means these prophecies could not have been fulfilled from A.D. 70 to A.D. 1948/1967 as the Jews were scattered throughout the world. Furthermore, the clear implication is that they have to be in the land and unbelievers before they become believers and embrace the Messiah. Some sceptics may doubt whether God canp save a whole nation of Jewish people in the future in a sudden move of God. That just shows they know nothing about God. The salvation of the pagan city of Nineveh was no problem to God. He even sent a backslidden prophet there to prove that salvation is of the Lord. Although the Jews are back in the land of Israel since 1948 and in control of the City of Jerusalem since 1967, we haven t reached this point yet in world history when the Jewish nation embraces the Saviour. Only God knows when we will reach this date in His prophetic calendar. Israel does have a glorious future. The best days are yet to come. God has not finished with or cast away His people. God is working out His marvelous plan, which led to the salvation of Gentiles and ultimately will culminate in the salvation of the Jews. Salvation truly is of the Lord and He will get all the glory. 8

Revelation Chapter 7

Revelation Chapter 7 Verses 7-14: Suggest that before the world is plunged into the plagues and disasters ushered in by the sixth seal judgment at the end of the first quarter of the Tribulation, God will